SF #3 Binz w/ Regular-wheel Wheel Arches

[SMS88]

This one bounces just fine. As good as any #3 SFs in fact. That's what gets me curios.
And there's virtually no side rubbing due to the low arches.
I can figure no good reason for enlarging them other than larger wheels were considered earlier than it actually happened.

What became the standard 10mm x 4mm SF wheel debuted late 1969 on the white SF8 Mustang but didnt seem to start spreading to the other existing models that would gain them until 1971 by which time the wheel mould had been revised to feature a friction reducing lip

[numi]

This is a cool find Lummox! My very 1st sighting of what i imagined could exist.
numi

[Lummox]

Thank you Numi. Glad you like! Seems like very few have seen this even on this site. Very interesting to me.

And just to add a bit more info, I talked to my guy again last evening.
He said he bought it way back in the '80s - back when Superfasts weren't worth much of anything.
Probably for less than a sub sandwich and a bottle of Moxie.

So to me that adds a bit more genuineness to the piece. For sure the best 12 bucks I've spent in a while!

Dave

[SMS88]

Thank you Numi. Glad you like! Seems like very few have seen this even on this site. Very interesting to me.

And just to add a bit more info, I talked to my guy again last evening.
He said he bought it way back in the '80s - back when Superfasts weren't worth much of anything.
Probably for less than a sub sandwich and a bottle of Moxie.

So to me that adds a bit more genuineness to the piece. For sure the best 12 bucks I've spent in a while!

Dave

Does the seller have one of these in his own collection or is he selling off his collection?

[Lummox]

Hey Mick,
He said he had another rough one as I mentioned above, but turns out it has enlarged wheels openings unfortunately.

He is slowly selling off most of his collection which spans from the '50s to 1982 which includes everything from desirable gift sets to Skybusters.
A lot has been sold but still has thousands of items left he says, and is bringing a bunch of it to England to sell to his pals over there. (or "here" to most of you )

I surely got all the tastiest transitional bits, but if it helps him and anyone here, his ebay handle is aabrd

[Lummox]

So...after all this ...."the find of 2014"...what's the consensus?
Is this a production and should be in The Variation Guide/Bible or a pre-production model?
Any thoughts? Don't leave a brother hangin'!

[motorman]

So...after all this ...."the find of 2014"...what's the consensus?
Is this a production and should be in The Variation Guide/Bible or a pre-production model?
Any thoughts? Don't leave a brother hangin'!

We should also consider the possibility of there being a few customs out there.

[Lummox]

Good point MM, but there are customs of everything.
This particular model has provenance dating back to the '80s from a very well know collector. (US and GB)
If this had any signs of being a phoney, I wouldn't present it here.

[motorman]

Good point MM, but there are customs of everything.
This particular model has provenance dating back to the '80s from a very well know collector. (US and GB)
If this had any signs of being a phoney, I wouldn't present it here.

Chill out Lummox, I have already acknowledged your model a being a very rare find and at no time have i suggested that your particular example is in any doubt original.

I am mearly pointing out that this particular variation may be an attractive proposition to the fakers out there.

[Lummox]

I'm like - sooo totally wiggin' out, dewd!